Nem trouble

[bfraenza92]

Hey guys new member here thank you for anyone who take the time to chat with me.

So been in the hobby about 3 years
My current tank is 4 months old
All parameters are perfect
Salinity is 1.26
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate near 0 if not 0
Alk 9
PH 8.2
Temp 78
10 gallon hob with cheato
No skimmer
Kessil led
Weekly water changes with Rodi and Kent marine salt

Okay so nem looks like cap had it almost a month. Been losing tentacles.. I feed it. Any input appreciated

The last photo is of my first reef tank I ever built a 20 long about 2 years old at this point picture is proof I could keep a nem lol

Photos taken over about a three hour period from when the tank first came on a 10

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[Swayze27]

Not the greatest reply ever but sometimes nems are just hit or mis. Its hard to accept it but you can have everything right and everything thriving and sometimes they just don't do well. I've never been able to keep BTA's alive but I currently have 2 large h. magnifica and a large hoddoni carpet in the same system the BTA's sucked in. Go figure. I think with anenomes you just got to get the right one, I may get hammered on here for saying this.

[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by Swayze27

Not the greatest reply ever but sometimes nems are just hit or mis. Its hard to accept it but you can have everything right and everything thriving and sometimes they just don't do well. I've never been able to keep BTA's alive but I currently have 2 large h. magnifica and a large hoddoni carpet in the same system the BTA's sucked in. Go figure. I think with anenomes you just got to get the right one, I may get hammered on here for saying this.

Well hey man i really appreciate the reply.
Yeah I have realized over time certain parts of this hobby can be difficult to swallow

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[Swayze27]

It helps with anemone if you can get one that's already thriving in someone else's tank. Or if they've been at the lfs for a decent amount of time. My two mags came from systems they had established in, my carpet came from a lfs but I kept an eye on it in the store for a week or so.

[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by Swayze27

It helps with anemone if you can get one that's already thriving in someone else's tank. Or if they've been at the lfs for a decent amount of time. My two mags came from systems they had established in, my carpet came from a lfs but I kept an eye on it in the store for a week or so.

I see. Yeah the lfs just gave her to me I had not been watching her, but he said they've had all these nems for a bit and they were tank raised. I did recently realize that I had zero nitrates so some of the lps corals were showing stress and I couldn't figure out what it was for the longest cuz my water is dead nuts.. until I realized the coral was starving.. since amping up the feedings the lps has rebounded and the nem seems more happy and less temperamental.. I figured perfect water was the best *** lol

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[Swayze27]

I think some people stress so much over water parameters that they keep tinkering and just keep the chemistry off. An old school reefer that owns a lfs always tells people " just keep your d@m^ hands out of the tank man". I use to be religious with water changes and struggled to keep nitrates below 20, I now just do them periodically and I'm now reading 0. Not saying to neglect the tank but I know several experienced guys that rarely do water changes. Obviously your setup, your water source, feeding habits, etc. play a big roll in how that goes for you. To me having to constantly work on the tank steals the joy of the hobby.

I've been told that a lot of these anemones, coral, and other life live in filthy areas within the ocean. I've heard people say that a lot of this stuff is collected in other countries and are found thriving in parts of the water that waste and other things are dumped. Not sure how true that is but the info is coming from a credible reefer that has been in the industry for 30+ years.

[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by Swayze27

I think some people stress so much over water parameters that they keep tinkering and just keep the chemistry off. An old school reefer that owns a lfs always tells people " just keep your d@m^ hands out of the tank man". I use to be religious with water changes and struggled to keep nitrates below 20, I now just do them periodically and I'm now reading 0. Not saying to neglect the tank but I know several experienced guys that rarely do water changes. Obviously your setup, your water source, feeding habits, etc. play a big roll in how that goes for you. To me having to constantly work on the tank steals the joy of the hobby.

I've been told that a lot of these anemones, coral, and other life live in filthy areas within the ocean. I've heard people say that a lot of this stuff is collected in other countries and are found thriving in parts of the water that waste and other things are dumped. Not sure how true that is but the info is coming from a credible reefer that has been in the industry for 30+ years.

Yeah wow that's crazy! ! Well shoot! I'm just gonna keep feeding and topping off the water and one gallon water changes a week. I was doing 1 gallon water changes for like two weeks trying to starve out dinoflagetes... which worked and I'm happy I won that battle, but sad I hurt my corals and nem. Hopefully it recovers

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[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by bfraenza92

Yeah wow that's crazy! ! Well shoot! I'm just gonna keep feeding and topping off the water and one gallon water changes a week. I was doing 1 gallon water changes for like two weeks trying to starve out dinoflagetes... which worked and I'm happy I won that battle, but sad I hurt my corals and nem. Hopefully it recovers

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***Doing water changes *every other day* for like two weeks ***

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[Swayze27]

good luck just know that every tank is different. what works for some may not work for others

[BClute]

Originally Posted by Swayze27

good luck just know that every tank is different. what works for some may not work for others

This prob one of the most frustrating things about the hobby.


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[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by Swayze27

good luck just know that every tank is different. what works for some may not work for others

Cheers

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[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by BClute

This prob one of the most frustrating things about the hobby.


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It certainly is


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[FNGsaltwater]

It's that shrimp. Looks like an imposter Peppermint shrimp. Lfs inadvertantly sell these cause their appearance is so close. Watch him when the lights go off..
Quit feeding the nem for a while and let him get his food from light. This way he becomes a little less stressed and the shrimp doesn't take off tentacles to get to food.

[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by FNGsaltwater

It's that shrimp. Looks like an imposter Peppermint shrimp. Lfs inadvertantly sell these cause their appearance is so close. Watch him when the lights go off..
Quit feeding the nem for a while and let him get his food from light. This way he becomes a little less stressed and the shrimp doesn't take off tentacles to get to food.

I sorta wish that was the case but I just added the shrimp a few days ago, and have had them nem about a month and she was acting up before them.

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[davocean]

Just off the cuff I'd say your biggest issue is it's still a fairly new tank at 4 months, and if you had the nem almost a month that is pretty soon.
It's hard to have stability of params in that short of time, we usually recommend at least 6mo running before adding a nem.

[Swayze27]

Originally Posted by davocean

Just off the cuff I'd say your biggest issue is it's still a fairly new tank at 4 months, and if you had the nem almost a month that is pretty soon.
It's hard to have stability of params in that short of time, we usually recommend at least 6mo running before adding a nem.

Didn't realize the tank was that new. My lfs refused to sale me any nems until about 6-7 months in.

[Swayze27]

Originally Posted by FNGsaltwater

It's that shrimp. Looks like an imposter Peppermint shrimp. Lfs inadvertantly sell these cause their appearance is so close. Watch him when the lights go off..
Quit feeding the nem for a while and let him get his food from light. This way he becomes a little less stressed and the shrimp doesn't take off tentacles to get to food.

I had two shrimp that I had to flush, lol. Sorry if that breaks anyone's heart but they would go to town on my Anemone when lights went low. It was beyond frustrating.

[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by davocean

Just off the cuff I'd say your biggest issue is it's still a fairly new tank at 4 months, and if you had the nem almost a month that is pretty soon.
It's hard to have stability of params in that short of time, we usually recommend at least 6mo running before adding a nem.

Meh.
Before she went in I had been tracking my parameters very closely. obsessed even with testing the water every day and I wasn't having any shifts. I mean I only have test kits for ammonia nitrite nitrate and pH the trace elements I have my lfs test for me. And I don't have a large coral load taking up the trace elements and I was doing weekly water changes of one gallon

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[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by Swayze27

I had two shrimp that I had to flush, lol. Sorry if that breaks anyone's heart but they would go to town on my Anemone when lights went low. It was beyond frustrating.

I will watch them closely tonight.. I did notice when I spot fed my frog spawn today that they came in and stole it's food.. little pricks..

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[davocean]

Originally Posted by bfraenza92

Meh.
Before she went in I had been tracking my parameters very closely. obsessed even with testing the water every day and I wasn't having any shifts. I mean I only have test kits for ammonia nitrite nitrate and pH the trace elements I have my lfs test for me. And I don't have a large coral load taking up the trace elements and I was doing weekly water changes of one gallon

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You are missing the key tests, think big MAC, Mag, alk, ca, and if you are not testing yourself you really don't know for sure, and I'd be surprised if your LFS is using quality kits for free.

It's widely known around here stability is key and just does not happen in new tanks, and obviously you're having an issue, you asked, I gave an honest answer.

[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by davocean

You are missing the key tests, think big MAC, Mag, alk, ca, and if you are not testing yourself you really don't know for sure, and I'd be surprised if your LFS is using quality kits for free.

It's widely known around here stability is key and just does not happen in new tanks, and obviously you're having an issue, you asked, I gave an honest answer.

And I gave you the best response that I could. again I don't have a mass load of corals taking those elements out of the water. Me replacing a gallon of water per week would more than replenish the dip that would happen if any. I have been going to my lfs for years and they treat me well. I never disputed stability being a factor because it 100% is and is the driving force to good coral growth I do appreciate your input and don't completely dismiss your points just restating my own


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[Swayze27]

Parameters reading good is not necessarily the complete definition of stability to me. At 4 months that tank is still going through initial algae blooms etc. It's hard to explain but it needs to be stable but also aged so to speak. And don't get defensive, it's not personal and it's not a reflection on you or your husbandry it just is what it is.

[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by Swayze27

Parameters reading good is not necessarily the complete definition of stability to me. At 4 months that tank is still going through initial algae blooms etc. It's hard to explain but it needs to be stable but also aged so to speak. And don't get defensive, it's not personal and it's not a reflection on you or your husbandry it just is what it is.

Fair. I didn't add anything to my tank in the last photo till I think it was over a year.

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[bfraenza92]

Originally Posted by bfraenza92

Fair. I didn't add anything to my tank in the last photo till I think it was over a year.

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Any Nems** woops sorry for the typo

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[bfraenza92]

Update:

The nem declined further despite my best efforts. Do I took her back to my lfs to hopefully bounce back. I didn't let her go to far, She still could keep herself on a rock with her foot, but came off pretty easy. I will miss her, but she will be better for this action lol. Thank you all for your replies I do sincerely appreciate them!

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